IMUA 9-10 - PCC 50th Anniversary

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President Orgill:
One Year Later
What a great occasion the first anniversary of our new night show was on August
14, 2010. As I joined the cast backstage
before the show that evening a flood of
memories filled my mind as I realized it
wasn’t just one, but four years ago that we
first started planning this amazingly special
experience we now call, “Ha: Breath of Life”;
and, of course, we’ve only been building
on the legacy, tradition and history of the
thousands who created and energized this
unique treasure we call the PCC over these
past 47 years.
Many of those who were in the original
night show have come to my office, called or
emailed me, saying over and over again, “I
have been to every night show that the PCC
has ever produced. All of them were wonderful, but none of them were as special as the
first one — until now.”
Then they’ve said, with tears in their
eyes, how strong the Spirit has been when
they watch “Ha.” That’s the hallmark of
“Ha: Breath of Life.” We’re telling the story
of life — the story of the gospel — the story
of family – the meaning of relationships,
caring, love, devotion and the importance
of service and reaching out to those in need.
We’re sharing with the world that there is a
higher purpose in our lives here, and there is
a Higher Power we may turn to in our hour
of need. All of this can only be told with and
through the Spirit of the Lord. That’s what
makes it work. That’s what touches people’s
hearts. That’s what lifts their eyes toward the
things that matter most.
I was also thinking about what was hapContinued on page 2
President Orgill (center, right) and cast members celebrate the first anniversary of
Ha: Breath of Life on August 14, 2010. Over a half-million people have already seen
the PCC’s new night show. (Photo by Mike Foley)
HA: Breath of Life marks first anniversary
“Exceeded all of our expectations” is the
most common answer when members of the
Officer Team and Theater staff reply to how
the new night show, Ha: Breath of Life, has
done in its first year — and indeed it has, but
that only tells part of the story.
Since Ha officially premiered on August
14, 2009, over a half-million people have
seen the uniquely Polynesian circle-of-life
story, and responded with standing ovations
and repeat visits.
“We wanted it to be successful and
something that people would enjoy, but we
didn’t really expect it to have the success that
it has, where people keep coming back week
after week,” said Delsa Moe, PCC Director
of Cultural Presentations.
For example, one guest recently commented online that Ha is “a totally excellent
show and a highlight of the visit.” Another
wrote: “The new show ‘Ha’ is amazing! It
is a can’t-miss, especially the end.” And one
more: “I loved the Polynesian Cultural Center. The luau, food, and the ‘Breath of Life’
show was wonderful at the end.”
“This has also been a real hit with our
kamaaina market. We have regulars that
come on a weekly basis,” Moe continued.
“That’s very pleasing, because we know that
Continued on page 2
In this Issue
Laie group wins Te Manahua 2010 . . . . . . 3
Laie Lady returning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Many extra miles of service . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PCC’s own named Miss Tahiti 2010 . . . . . . 4
An impressive powhiri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Meet the New Missionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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HA: First anniversary...
Continued from page 1
anything that the kamaaina like will have
good word-of-mouth pull for us with our
regular visitors.”
Moe added that the PCC continues to
polish and refine Ha. For example, she said,
“When we opened the show last year we
were still operating under existing lighting,
because we didn’t have the infrastructure
and upgrades in place yet to support the new
equipment. We’ve continued since then to
install new lighting, which gives the show
so much more visual character. About a
month ago we got in brand new spotlights,
and we’re still not done. We’ve got a lot more
lighting to install as our electricians are able
to complete different phases of preparation.”
Other changes are more personal. For
instance, Rick Suaava, who plays the lead
role of Mana, said, “It has been a great and
awesome journey. I’ve gotten married in
the past year, and the this show has really
brought new meaning to my relationships
One year later...
Continued from page 1
pening one year ago when we were all praying everything would work well and that the
equipment would function properly. Do you
remember we received a lot of the equipment
just a few days before the opening, and we
were having all kinds of trouble installing
and getting it to work? Many were fasting
that the Lord’s Spirit would be with us, and
that everything would come together in time
for the opening. The Lord was kind to us
and the event was everything we were hoping for and more. The guests were touched,
amazed, inspired and thrilled with what they
experienced. How blessed we were that night
and how blessed we’ve been every day since.
I had the privilege on the night of the premiere to pronounce a priesthood blessing on
several of the lead characters in “Ha.” I want
all of you to know that as I had my hands on
their heads, the Lord not only poured out a
blessing upon them, He also told them how
important this place and this work is, how
important this show is, and how it would
touch the lives of countless thousands of
people across this entire earth.
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FIRST ANNIVERSARY: Over 100 cast and crew members staged and celebrated the first anniversary of
Ha: Breath of Life on August 14, 2010. Refinements, new cast training...and audience satisfaction are ongoing.
(photos and montage by Mike Foley)
and my life, and learning how to approach
aspects of my life a little differently. It’s been
exciting and worth it.”
have my own son. It’s amazing how our lives
have changed since we’ve been doing the
show,” he said.
Like Suaava, Atu Vaka, who plays the role
of Mana’s father, has also recently married.
“It’s been an awesome year, because now I
Cultural Performance Manager David
Tiave said in reviewing tapes of the show
from a year ago, he noticed “that lots of kids
have gone on missions and graduated since
then, but it’s exciting to see the many new
kids we now have in the cast.”
That helped me to understand and appreciate even more how important each of you
is, and how important what you’re doing here
now is, and will always be.
It has been my prayer each and every
night since then that all at the Center will
continue to perform with the Spirit of the
Lord, and that the Spirit will continue to
radiate from you to every single person who
visits us, and that they will carry that Spirit
with them wherever they go.
That’s exactly what’s been happening.
I thank you for that. I thank you for being
worthy to have the Lord’s Spirit with you. I
thank you for preparing yourselves to share
with everyone who comes here, and for making a difference in all of their lives.
I pray a further blessing to be upon you
that the Lord’s Spirit may continue to be
with you, so you, with His help, may carry
yourselves and those who visit this special
place ever closer to Him.
Von D. Orgill
President & CEO
For the new cast members, Moe stressed
they’re not just learning songs and dances.
“The thing that makes this show unique is
the feeling — not so much how well the motions are executed, but how well they portray
the spirit of the Ha so it connects with the
audience — of not just doing the motions
but putting themselves in the scene so that
they emotionally portray the feeling we want
the audience to get.”
“I would guess because of the popularity
of Ha, it’s going to be around for a long time.
Having said that, I don’t think the choreography will remain the same over the coming
years. We can actually go in and make
changes and upgrades from time to time
without losing the story element,” she said.
“We already have some things planned
that we would like to do to strengthen the
story a little more, so that as people return
they notice, hey, this is different; but it’s still
the story of Mana growing from a baby to
manhood and having his own family. I hope
Ha is around for a long time: It’s a very good
show.”
give them again, probably ever. For some of
them, this will probably be the first and last
time they ever come to Hawaii.” She added
that the group spent two-and-a-half years of
fundraising to make the trip, and that “four
or five of them would absolutely love to come
back here for school.”
TE KOHAU HAWAIIKI — led by Iraia and Miriama Bailey, Alex and Shannon Galea’i, and Tama Halvorson — won the
overall championship in the 2010 Te Manahua kapa haka competition. Second place overall went to Ngati Ranana
from London, England; and third place to Te Kura o Tongariro from Turangi, New Zealand. (photos by Mike Foley)
Laie group wins overall Te Manahua 2010 title
Every other year the tamariki or kids are
so cute and talented, but for sheer excitement
and thrills there’s no beating the seniors who
whole-heartedly shared their love of Maori
kapa haka or traditional songs and dances on
August 14, 2010, during the Polynesian Cultural Center’s eleventh annual Te Manahua
special event.
In a word, this year’s Te Manahua festival
was fantastic. And while the judges — all
from New Zealand and widely recognized
for their own kapa haka expertise — awarded
the aggregate or overall championship to
Laie-based Te Kohau Hawaiiki. The performances by the other participating groups
were also highly enjoyable.
In winning, Iraia and Miriama Bailey,
Alex and Shannon Galea‘i, and Tama
Halvorson founded Te Kohau Hawaiiki
four months ago. Ngati Ranana, a group
comprised mostly of expatriate Maori living
in London, England, followed in second
place overall; and third-place overall honors
went to Te Kura o Tongariro, a group of 22
students from Tongariro High School in
Turangi, New Zealand.
Nga Uri a Te-Wai-o-Taiki, an “urban
marae” group from the Glen Innes suburb
of Auckland, also competed in the aggregate
division, while another Laie-based group, Te
Hokioi, led by Seamus Fitzgerald — PCC
Islands of Aotearoa manager — and Sonne
Campbell, performed in support of the oth-
ers but did not compete.
The visiting groups especially liked
performing at the PCC. For example, Kiwi
Biddle, the manukura tane or male lead of
the group from London, said, “The PCC is
beautiful. It’s like a slice of heaven here.” He
also explained their group did fundraising
for about the past six months, which raised
half the money they needed for the 16-hour
flight, each way (with a stopover in Los Angeles). This is the second time Ngati Ranana
has competed in Te Manahua.
Biddle — a native Maori speaker from
Opotiki, New Zealand who’s in England
on a two-year
work
experience — praised
his fellow Ngati
Ranana members
“for their mahi —
their hard work,
and long journey.
We let it all rip
on the stage, and
I was happy with
our second-place
Biddle
finish. We were
blown away by the
Hawaii group. They were awesome.”
Grace Marsh, manager of the Tongariro
group and a teacher at the high school, said
their students “had an absolute lifetime experience that we would never have been able to
During the awards, senior judge Donna
M. Grant also presented National Certificates in Maori Performing Arts that are
recognized throughout Aotearoa to Iraia and
Miriama Bailey, Jason Smith and Destinee
Robinson. Grant explained qualifying for
the certificates requires demonstrating skills
in poi, haka, waiata-a-ringa (action songs),
moteatea (chants), and entry and exits “at the
highest possible level”; and she added that
recipients are also required to do research
into the ancestral origins of these skills.
Haka Hard and Poi E
On the Friday evening before, members
of the groups and fans packed the whare
nui or meeting house in the PCC Islands
of Aotearoa to watch Haka Hard and Poi E
— competitions featuring up to five people
performing for no more than four minutes.
After all the excitement and fun, the
young men and women of Te Kura o Tongariro walked off with top prizes in both
categories.
Mana and Wairua
Summarizing the 2010 Te Manahua
festival, Fitzgerald said, “The mana could
be felt from every competitor throughout
the whakataetae [competition]. It’s truly
amazing to have groups from all over the
world gather at the PCC to showcase Maori
culture.”
“In all of their performances, competitors
exuded immense pride and represented the
vibrant wairua [spirit] of the Maori culture,
which is really what the PCC is all about,
giving everyone a deeper understanding and
appreciation of all of the cultures that make
up Polynesia.”
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More special events...
Employees are encouraged to ride early in
the month: There is a $6 charge, good only
for employees on Mondays and Wednesdays,
and PCC ID is required. Otherwise, FYI,
charges for the Haunted Lagoon are:
•
•
•
HAUNTED LAGOON 2010
You might want to look over your shoulder a bit more after dark, because before
you know it the Laie Lady will be back,
wandering the PCC lagoon, on the following
schedule:
•
•
•
•
•
October 1–23: On Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday only
October 25–30: Monday–Saturday
Canoes run from 6:30 p.m.
The Box Office is open from 4–8 p.m.,
subject to ticket availability.
Closed on Sundays and Halloween
Because more than 44,000 people were
brave enough last year to take their chances
on the scary canoe ride, this year promises to
be even better.
Free for Kamaaina Annual Pass holders
on Monday and Wednesday through
October 20. For the remainder of the
event, including Fridays and Saturdays,
50% off the regular kamaaina rate
of $19.50 per adult (16-and-up), and
$14.50 for keiki (ages 5–15).
The nonresident price is $25 for adults
and $20 for kids.
There is a $5 discount on Wednesdays
with a Pepsi product, and a $3-off
coupon is available from 7-Eleven stores.
The discounts cannot be combined. For
more information, call Reservations at
293-3333.
And the awards go to...
In the PCC team meeting on August
20, Compensation Manager Kathy Tollesen
cited several examples of outstanding customer service. Two of them follow:
Shortly after a Mr. Hayashi from Japan
arrived at the Center, he suffered a heart
attack. Not breathing and with no pulse,
Elder Newgren performed CPR while Elder
McDonald did mouth-to-mouth ventilation
until the emergency crew arrived. Security
supervisor Liufau and Japanese guide Sonoka
Sato accompanied Mrs. Hayashi, his wife
who did not speak English, first to Kahuku
Hospital, next to Wahiawa Hospital, and
then to Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu.
Wendy Lau, Jade-Lin Leong, Wesley
Kekauoha, Matilda Liva, Phillip Mateo,
Losa Moors, Welser Tropia, Alopa Tu’ifua,
Geralyn Ty Chico and Cornelis Versteeg.
For April–June: Hau Sian Thang, Angella
Dabb, Ataruru Toaraa, Fatuimoana Tuifua,
Ofeina Unga, Paul Merrill, Michael Brown,
Scott Ault, Sri Yoga, Evelyn Angeles, Adam
Ford, Tess Harris, Chef Chris Mercier, Luisa
Piutau, Genevieve Touli, Ina Toaraa, Vonnie
Fereti, Raze Liva, Mele Latu, Michele Nakayama, Munkh-Undarga Mendbayar, Tiotala Leiataua, Heyleen Molitika, Kalolaine
Vaka, Tomai Siilata, Atish Kumar, Jocelyn
Lopez, Elizabeth Molitika and Lili Filipo.
Islands, July: Douglas Christy, Otis Fruean, Christopher Bresee, Ilaisaane Kauvaka,
Rabici Vuikadavu, Apisalome Tora, and
William Keanu. For April–June: Tevita
Takufuka, John Milford, Semisi Tukia, Seamus Fitzgerald, Raymond Mokiao, George
Tovo, Tofa Tuita, Tevita Latu, Noelani
Tonumaipe’a, Joslyn Beaver, Toakase Funaki,
Kathleen Walters, Destinee Robinson, Chloe
Shepherd, Steve La‘ulu, Semisi Fakatava,
Eseta Toelupe and Ama Taufaitoa.
In-Center Marketing, July: Keali‘i Haverly
Guest Services, July: Diliana Balakchieva,
Jarom Ah Quin, Kosheila Ravindra, Nana
Tonami, Sang Hoon Lee, Medel Hernandez,
Merie Passil, Sanshiro Nagano, Alexander
Bailey, Denzil Kumar, Andrew Wight,
Nakia Naeole, Pablo Gariando, Chintuya
Otgonsuren, and Liam Strong.
Continued on page 5
“The staff at Queen’s could not believe
the extra-mile efforts of our PCC employees,” Tollesen said.
She also shared the following remarks
from a VIP visitor who wrote: “Thank you
so much for this life-changing experience.
We absolutely love the island people for the
love and warmth they exude... We had a
wonderful time together and created memories that will last a lifetime. Our visit to the
Polynesian Cultural Center is far and away
the highlight of our Hawaii vacation. We felt
the spirit of aloha throughout the day.”
TAHITIAN! Over 100 tamari‘i and seniors competed
in the PCC’s tenth annual Te Mahana Hiro’a o Tahiti
event on July 17 in the Pacific Theater.
(photo by Mike Foley)
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Department Service Recognition
Food & Beverage for July: Lili Filipo,
CONGRATULATIONS to PCC Promo Team member
Luçie Poehere Wilson who won the 2010 Miss Tahiti
title in Papeete on June 25. Luçie is the daughter of
Christian and Patricia Hutihuti Wilson of Laie
(Matahi Vairaa photo)
Two new people join
PCC staff
Hal Chu • Assistant Controller
Our new Assistant Controller, Hal Chu,
who is originally from Hong Kong, came to
BY U – Hawa i i
almost 30 years
ago,
graduating in 1987 in
accounting and
business information systems.
He went on to
earn an MBA
from UH, and
eventually
worked as the
Chu
vice president of
finance for the
U.S. division of Natuzzi Americas Inc. in
High Point, North Carolina, before returning.
He explained he came back last May to
meet his future son-in-law. “My daughter
and her fiancé were friends of President
Orgill, and I was very impressed with the
operation and people here,” Chu said. Of
course, as a student he worked first for MIS,
then in the Business Office, but was known
in those days as Halacy.
The Chu’s have four children, one of
them actually born at TVA when they were
in school.
a dream job, and
the opportunity
finally arose.”
On his own
time, Dubovsky
said, “I love
painting, drawing and watercolors. When I
retire I’ll probably devote a
Dubovsky
lot more time to
that.” For now,
however, Dubovsky said his PCC colleagues
“are the best people, bar none. They are the
most sincere people I’ve had the pleasure of
working with.”
At the August 20 and at the July 23 PCC
team meetings Tollesen also announced the
following Clean-up Campaign winners:
Awards...
• July: 1st place, Hawaii; 2nd place, Fiji;
3rd place, Motor Pool, Samoa and Tahiti.
Continued from page 4
Physical Facilities: Charlie Garduque,
Avea Asotafao, Hamana Leong, Virgilio
Badua, Liufau Tuifua, Hanuafo‘ou Sheffet,
LeGrand Hekau and Leroy Chricton.
Reservations, July: Sally Mapu, Cori
Fitisemanu, Pouli Magalei Jr. and Stephany
Dela Cruz. For April–June: Diana Niumatalolo and Dee Ann Tofa.
Theater: Halam Ah Quin, Taofi Magalei
and Tevin-Jordan Ulii.
Guides, April–June: Kosh Ravinda,
Michael Bailey, Stephanie Bouzie, Livini Tu-
wai, Pablo Gariando, Diliana Balakchieva,
Moeunsara Meas, Lloyd Pekitpekit, Matthew Hyatt and Gombo Chuluun.
Clean-up C ampaign
• June: 1st place, Hawaii Mission Settlement; 2nd, Banyan Tree; 3rd, MIS.
• May: 1st, Fiji again; 2nd, Hawaii
Mission Settlement and Aotearoa; and 3rd,
Laundry and Seamstresses.
• April: 1st place, Fiji; 2nd place, The
Gateway, Ambassador and Hale Aloha; and
3rd place, Hawaii.
Tollesen also announced a new “outstanding support” clean-up category, with
awards in June going to Purchasing and
Motor Pool; and in July to Nursery and the
Business Office.
“I feel like I’ve come back home, and that
there’s a special purpose for us to be here,” he
said. “I think our lives will be changed, and
maybe some other people’s lives, too.”
Nick Dubovsky • Graphic Designer
Dubovsky, who has over 40 years of
graphic design experience — primarily on
the East Coast, recently joined the PCC
marketing team as our graphic designer.
During his career, he has worked for newspapers, advertising agencies, as an art director,
and has created advertising for Fortune 500
companies. But in 2009, after visiting Hawaii almost 30 times, he married a Honolulu
business journalist. The couple now lives in
Pacific Palisades.
“I first came to Hawaii in ’97, and I didn’t
want to leave,” Dubovsky said. “The PCC
was a great place, and it’s changed quite a bit
since then. I thought working here would be
MORE MAORI: The PCC Islands of Aotearoa and the community welcomed Napier, New Zealand-based
Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Maori to the marae on July 27, 2010, in an impressive powhiri...because all members
of the visiting group are selected for their skills in Maori language and cultural arts. (photo by Mike Foley)
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Meet the New Service Missionaries
Elder Steve & Sister Dawn Johnston
Elder Don & Sister Charlene Kimball
First, kala mai to the Johnstons, who were inadvertently left out of the last issue of Imua. They
arrived from their home in El Cajon, California
(near San Diego) in March on their 12-month
mission. He is a welder, and she is assigned to
Human Resources.
The Kimballs arrived August 14, 2010, from
Sandy, Utah, to begin serving an 18-month mission. He is assigned to the Finance Office, and she
divides her time between the Seamstresses and
the Hawaii Mission Settlement. They previously
served an inner-city mission in Salt Lake City.
Elder Kimball, who was born in Honolulu
(his father was the Boy Scout executive at the
time), danced with the Kia Ora Club at BYU for
three years and also served a mission in between
in New Zealand in the early 1960s. After graduating from BYU, working for Price Waterhouse and
qualifying for his CPA, he worked for a number
of other large companies and was part-owner of
a management consulting company in the San
Francisco Bay area for 16 years.
The Johnstons
He then semi-retired for about 10 years, but
during that time he raised Muscovy Ducks and
filled in for another couple who went on a senior
mission by collecting owl pellets that biology
students use to learn about skeletons. In his spare
time, Elder Kimball said he’s a “rock hound. I’ve
got a basement full of rocks and equipment.”
design from BYU, has been a homemaker. The
couple has five children and four grandchildren.
Before moving to Sandy, they previously lived in
the Bay area for about 30 years.
They first came to the PCC in 1979 as tourists, and are happy to be back. “I think this will be
a fun place to work. I love it,” Sister Kimball said.
“It’s wonderful to be back in the islands again,” he
added. “It feels like coming home.”
* * * * * * * *
In other missionary news, the Remunds who
previously served from 2008–09, are returning as
volunteers to help with the Haunted Lagoon; and
the Rexes, who are currently serving, will extend
for a month as volunteers to also help.
Temple ‘open house’ set
For only the second time in the past 90 years,
everyone is invited to participate in a free “open
house” tour of the Laie Hawaii Temple on the
following schedule:
•
•
Elder Johnston retired three-plus years ago
after working for almost 40 years as a Local 12
Operating Engineers heavy equipment repair and
welding specialist.
•
Sister Johnston was a preschool and parent-ed
teacher for a total of about 20 years before retiring. She earned a degree in home economics from
Northern Arizona University and master’s degree
in child development from San Diego State. She
added that her two sisters previously attended
CCH in the early 60s, and all three subsequently
joined the Church. “Now we’re back where it
started, on our mission,” she said.
The couple, who have been married over 40
years and have three children and seven grandchildren, previously visited the Center on their
twentieth anniversary. “I love the people,” she
said, “and everybody’s helpful here.” He added he
also works with “great people. We’re really enjoying ourselves here.”
The Johnstons also act as studen mentors in
the BYU-Hawaii 1st Stake. “We love that, too,”
she said.
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•
•
The Kimballs
Before retiring for good, the couple moved to
Utah where he worked for several large banks in
the tax trust department, and the last two years
for KPMG doing the same thing in Phoenix,
Arizona.
Sister Kimball, who earned a degree in interior
October 22–23 and October 25–30: 8 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
November 1–6 and November 8–13: 8
a.m. to 8 p.m.
November 20: A cultural celebration, by
invitation only (but broadcast to all meetinghouses with satellite capability), will be
held in the BYUH CAC.
November 21: Rededication sessions, by
ticket only, at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., with
broadcasts to all chapels with satellite capability in the Laie and Kona Hawaii Temple
districts.
November 23: The Laie Hawaii Temple
reopens for regular ordinance work.
The PCC will offer this rare opportunity
for our visitors to go inside the temple as part
of the Laie Tour: The tour leaves the PCC every
20 minutes. In October the last Laie Tour PCC
guests can take to include the open house leaves
at 2 p.m, and at 6 p.m. in November.
55-370 Kamehameha Highway, Laie, HI 96762
Please visit us at: www.polynesia.com